Rainy days indoors can feel nice and cozy, but that mood can change with a bored and active toddler who constantly needs to be entertained. With the little ones cooped up indoors, it's easy to just give them the iPad or turn on the TV. But with a little creativity and a few simple things, you can turn a rainy day into a fun-filled day of toddler games. Here are 30 toddler games that are perfect for a rainy day:
- Muddy Puddles - Put on a raincoat and boots and let your child jump go outside and jump in some puddles - or what Peppa Pig likes to call "muddy puddles!"
- Indoor Treasure Hunt - Hide small toys or treats around the house and create a treasure map for your toddler to follow.
- Play-Doh Fun - Bring out the Play-Doh and let your toddler use cookie cutters and other tools to create their own masterpieces.
- Obstacle Course - Use pillows, blankets, and furniture to create a fun obstacle course for your toddler to crawl, jump, and climb through.
- Puzzles - Set out a variety of puzzles that are age-appropriate for your toddler to put together.
- Dance Party - Turn up the music and have a dance party with your toddler. Bonus points if you have fun costumes or props to add to the fun.
- DIY Sensory Bins - Fill a container with rice, beans, or other sensory materials and add toys for your toddler to play with and explore.
- Simon Says - Play a game of Simon Says with your toddler, using simple commands like "touch your nose" or "hop on one foot".
- Color Scavenger Hunt - Create a list of colors and have your toddler find objects around the house that match each color.
- Card Games - Play simple card games like Go Fish or Old Maid with your toddler, using large cards that are easy for little hands to hold.
- Building Blocks - Use blocks to build towers, bridges, and other structures.
- Animal Charades - Act out different animals and have your toddler guess what animal you are pretending to be.
- Indoor Bowling - Use plastic bottles or cups as pins and a soft ball as a bowling ball.
- Memory Game - Place a group of toys or objects on a tray, let your toddler study them for a few seconds, and then cover the tray and ask them to remember what was on it.
- Ball Pit - Create a ball pit using a blow-up pool and plastic balls.
- Puppet Show - Make sock puppets or use store-bought puppets to put on a puppet show for your toddler.
- Sticker Fun - Give your toddler a sheet of stickers and let them decorate paper or a coloring book.
- Sensory Bags - Fill ziplock bags with different materials such as slime, glitter, or water and let your toddler squish and explore.
- Indoor Hopscotch - Use masking tape to create a hopscotch grid on the floor.
- Marble Run - Use cardboard tubes and other materials to create a DIY marble run for your toddler.
- Sensory Bottles - Fill clear plastic bottles with water, glitter, and other small objects to create sensory bottles.
- Freeze Dance - Play music and have your toddler dance, but pause the music intermittently and have them freeze in place.
- Cardboard Box Play - Let your toddler decorate and play in a cardboard box.
- Bubble Wrap Fun - Use bubble wrap to make popping sounds and have your toddler stomp on it.
- Indoor Soccer - Use pillows or rolled up socks as a ball and play indoor soccer with your toddler.
- Magnet Play - Give your toddler a magnet wand and have them collect metal objects around the house.
- Paper Plate Crafts - Use paper plates and other craft supplies to make simple crafts like masks or sun catchers.
- Shape Sorter - Use a cardboard box and cut out different shapes for your toddler to sort.
- Indoor Picnic - Have an indoor picnic with your toddler and make sandwiches, fruit skewers, and other easy snacks.
- Water Play - Fill a basin or container with water and let your toddler play with cups, sponges, and other toys.
With these fun and engaging toddler games, a rainy day can turn into a day full of laughter, play, and bonding with your little one.